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Well’s Texas Cavalry Regiment was organized from remnants of Well’s Cavalry, Good’s Texas Cavalry, and Gilletts’
Texas Cavalry. This regiment often used the designation 34th Texas
Cavalry. It was assigned to the 4th Brigade in Early 1865.
Well's Texas Cavalry Battalion was organized in the fall of 1863 at the Spencer Academy, Doaksville, Indian Territory. Almost all the members of the unit were recruited in Northeastern Texas. The Battalion's commanding officer was Lt. Colonel John W. Wells., L. E. Gillett, Major, W. C. Jones Adjt. It was formed by consolidating Scanland's Squadron, Gillet's Squadron, and Capt. John Miller's Company, Texas Cavalry. It was evidently composed of six companies, "A" to "F" which subsequently formed Companies "A" to "F", Wells' Regiment Texas Cavalry,, formed by the consolidation of this Battalion and Chaplin Good's Battalion Texas Cavalry.
Personal Papers of Major Gillett show that the companies were mustered
as of this Battalion for September and October, 1864, and as of Wells'
Regiment Texas Cavalry for November and December 1864. The letters are
reported to have been forwarded in February, 1865. This indicates the
Regiment was organized in in December, 1864 or early in 1865.
The battalion spent it's entire career assigned to higher commands located in Indian Territory. On Oct. 26, 1863, Wells' battalion was attached to Cooper's Brigade, Steel's Division, District of the Indian Territory, Trans-Mississippi Department. On Jan. 1, 1864 it became a part of the First Brigade and on March 16, 1864, a detachment was sent to both Fort Arbuckle and Fort Washita, District of Indian Territory, Trans-Mississippi Department.
In early 1865, Wells' Texas Cavalry Battalion was consolidated with Good's Texas Cavalry. The new organization resulting from this consolidation was designated Wells' Texas Cavalry. There is reason to believe that at least some of Gidding's Texas Cavalry Battalion also saw service in the regiment.
Like almost all Civil War Units, Wells' Texas Cavalry was often by an alternate designation derived from the name of its commanding officer. Names of this type identified as having been used by or for the regiment are John W. Wells Cavalry, Chaplin Good's Cavalry, and L. E. Gillett's Cavalry.
On February 14th 1865, the regiment was ordered south from Indian Territory and instructed to report for duty at Houston, Texas. During the short career of the regiment only one higher command assignment has been identified for this unit. March 31, 1865, Fifth Texas Cavalry Brigade, Second Texas Cavalry Division, First Corps, Army of Trans-Mississippi.
The unit sometimes was incorrectly known as the Thirty Fourth Texas Cavalry. There was an officially designated unit with this number and there appears to have been no relationship between the two regiments. Another Texas Cavalry Regiment - Terrell's - Was also incorrectly known by this numeric designation.
On April 24, 1865, the regiment was ordered to Camp Angeles, Texas. When
the Confederate forces in the Trans-Mississippi Department surrendered,
Wells' Texas Cavalry was included among them.
Company A - Captain John Scanland and Captain Jullius Harshaw
Company B - Capt. Wade H. Witt, Capt. Wm. Jackson, Capt. Louis F. Cook
Company C - Capt. D. W. Vanter
Company D - Capt. J. J. Edwards
Company E - Capt. John Miller, probably succeeded by Capt. John T. Marsh
Company F - Capt. R. H. Chapman
Engagements
Attack, Fort Gibson, Indian Territory, Dec. 16, 1863
Operations against Steele's Expedition from Little Rock to Camden Arkansas, March 23-May 3, 1864
Actions, Prairie D'Ane, AR, April 9-12, 1864
Engagement, Poison Springs, AR, April 18, 1864
Engagement, Mark's Mills, AR April 25, 1864
Engagement, Jenkin's Ferry, Saline River, AR April 30, 1864
Skirmish Hahn's Farm near Waldron, AR June 18, 1864
Skirmish near Fayetteville, AR June 24, 1864
Actions Clarendon, St. Charles, Pikeville, St.
CharlesRiver, AR June 26, 1864
Action Wallace's Ferry, Big Creek AR July 26, 1864
Action Massard's Prairie, near Ft. Smith AR July 27, 1864
Skirmish Hay Station #3, Near Brownsville, AR July 30, 1864
Action Near Ft. Smith, AR July 31, 1864
Action Fort Gibson, Indian Territory Sept. 16, 1864
Action Fort Gibson, Indian Territory Sept. 18, 1864
Action Cabin Creek, Indian Territory Sept. 19, 1864
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